Inside WNC is a permanent feature from Carolina Public Press that profiles each of the 18 westernmost counties of North Carolina. This is your guide, including direct links, to elected officials, key agencies and departments, plus information on the county’s wages, housing, education and more.
Macon County
Macon County, N.C., map courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau, via Wikipedia.
Geography and Population
Macon County is bordered by Jackson County to the east, Swain County to the north, Graham County to the northwest, Cherokee County to the west, Clay County to the southwest, and Georgia to the south.
Map courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau.
Land area in square miles: 515.56
Persons per square mile (2010): 65.8
Population, 2011 estimate: 34,074
American Indian or Alaska Native: 0.7 percent
Asian: 0.7 percent
Black: 1.7 percent
Hispanic or Latino origin: 6.7 percent
White non-Hispanic: 89.8 percent
People reporting two or more races: 1 percent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
U.S., State and Local Government, Key Agencies
U.S. elected officials
U.S. Senate
Sen. Richard Burr (R)
Washington address: 217 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3154
Fax: (202) 228-2981
Email contact form
Asheville address: Federal Building, 151 Patton Ave., Suite 204
Asheville, N.C. 28801
Phone: (828) 350-2437
Fax: (828) 350-2439
Information on Burr’s support, sponsored bills, etc. from GovTrack.us
Sen. Kay Hagan (D)
Washington address: 521 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6342
Fax: (202) 228-2563
Email contact form
Asheville address: 82 Patton Ave., Suite 635
Asheville, N.C. 28801
Phone: (828) 257-6510
Fax: (828) 257-6514
Information on Hagan’s support, sponsored bills, etc. from GovTrack.us
U.S. House: 11th Congressional District
Rep. Mark Meadows (R)
Washington address: 1516 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6401
Email contact form
Hendersonville address: 200 N. Grove St.
Hendersonville, N.C. 28792
Phone: (828) 693-5660
Information on Meadows’ support, sponsored bills, etc. from GovTrack.us
N.C. Elected Officials
N.C. Senate District 50
Sen. Jim Davis (R)
Address: N.C. Senate, 16 W. Jones St., Room 2111
Raleigh, N.C. 27601-2808
Phone: (919) 733-5875 and (828) 342-4483
Email: Jim.Davis@ncleg.net
N.C. House District 120
Rep. Roger West (R)
Address: N.C. House of Representatives
16 W. Jones St., Room 1229
Raleigh, N.C. 27601-1096
Phone: (919) 733-5859 and (828) 837-5246
Email: Roger.West@ncleg.net
County Officials and Agencies
Macon County Board of Commissioners
Chairman: Kevin Corbin
Address: P.O. Box 758
Franklin, N.C. 28744
Phone: (828) 524-7799
Email: n/a
County Manager: Jack Horton
Address: Courthouse Annex
5 W. Main St.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 349-2025
Email: jhorton@maconnc.org
Sheriff: Robert L. Holland
Address: Macon County Sheriff’s Office
Law Enforcement Center
1820 Lakeside Dr.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-2811
Email: n/a
Macon County Department of Social Services
Director: Jane Kimsey
Address: 1832 Lakeside Dr.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 349-2124
Email: jkimsey@maconnc.org
Macon County Public Health Department
Director: Jim Bruckner
Address: 1830 Lakeside Dr.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 349-2081 for Franklin or Highlands; (828) 321-5961 for Nantahala
Email: jbruckner@maconnc.org
Member of the Southwestern North Carolina Planning and Economic Development Commission (Southwestern Commission), which covers the westernmost part of the state, specifically Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.
County Seat
Franklin
Population (2010): 3,845
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Town Government Office Address: 95 Main St., Franklin, N.C. 28734
Town of Franklin Board of Aldermen
Mayor: Joe Collins
Address: Town Hall, 95 Main St.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-2516
Email: jcollins@franklinnc.com
Town Manager: Sam Greenwood
Address: Town Hall, 95 Main St.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-2516
Email: sgreenwood@franklinnc.com
Chief of Police: David Adams
Address: Franklin Police Department
218 W. Palmer St.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-2864
Email: n/a
Law Enforcement Agencies
Macon County Sheriff’s Office
Law Enforcement Center
1820 Lakeside Dr.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-2811
Email: n/a
Franklin Police Department
218 W. Palmer St.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-2864
Email: n/a
Voter Information
Macon County Board of Elections
Director: Kim Bishop
Address: 5 W. Main St.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 349-2034
Email: kbishop@maconnc.org
Chairman: Sara Waldroop
Address: 5 W. Main St.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 349-2034
Email: n/a
Court System
Judicial District 30A
Macon County Courthouse
Address: 5 W Main St.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 349-7200
Email: n/a
Clerk of Superior Court: Victor H. Perry
Phone: (828) 349-7200
Email: n/a
District Attorney Michael Bonfoey
Phone (Macon County office): (828) 349-7210
Email: n/a
Economy and Employment
Unemployment rate, January 2013: 13.3 percent
Unemployment rate, January 2012: 12.7 percent
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce – Labor and Economic Analysis Division
Top three industries, by employment (2010, most current):
Retail trade: 1,899
Health care and social assistance: 1,504
Accommodation and Food Services: 1,206
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau
Largest Employer (Second quarter of 2012, most current): Macon County Public Schools
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau
Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce
Director: Linda Harbuck
Address: 425 Porter St.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-3161 or (866) 372-5546
Email: facc@franklin-chamber.com
Town of Franklin Tourism Development Authority
Chairman: n/a
Address: 95 Main St.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-2516
Email: info@discoverfranklinnc.com
Wages, Housing and Education
Per capita money income in past 12 months (2010 dollars) 2006-2010: $26,156
Persons living below poverty level 2006-2010: 16.9 percent
Median household income 2006-2010: $38,615
Median owner-occupied housing value: $167,800
High school graduates, age 25+ (2006-2010): 83 percent
Bachelor’s degree or higher, age 25+ (2006-2010): 19.5 percent
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Number of homeless (January 2012 point-in-time count, most current): 24
Source: North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness
Education
Macon County Schools
Four-year cohort high school graduation rates, as of September 2012: 84.5
Source: N.C. Department of Public Instruction
Macon County Board of Education
Address: 1202 Old Murphy Road
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-3314
Email: tommy.cabe@macon.k12.nc.us
Board of Education Chairman: Thomas H. Cabe
Address: 1202 Old Murphy Road
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-3314
Email: tommy.cabe@macon.k12.nc.us
School Superintendent: Jim Duncan
Address: 1202 Old Murphy Road
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-3314
E-mail: jim.duncan@macon.k12.nc.us
Higher education*
Southwestern Community College Macon Campus-Cecil L. Groves Center
Address: 44 Siler Farm Road
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 306-7001
Email: maconcampus@southwesterncc.edu
Enrollment: n/a
Top Healthcare Providers/Hospitals*
Angel Medical Center
Address: 120 Riverview St.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 524-8411
Email: n/a
HCAHPS Patient Perceptions Survey 10/2010-9/2011 rankings:
Rate 9 or 10 Overall: 74 percent
Always Clean and Quiet: 68 percent
Highlands-Cashiers Hospital
Address: 190 Hospital Dr.
Highlands, N.C. 28741
Phone: (828) 526-1200
Email: info@hchospital.org
HCAHPS Patient Perceptions Survey 10/2010-9/2011 rankings:
Rate 9 or 10 Overall: 74 percent
Always Clean and Quiet: 68 percent
Macon County Public Health Department
Address: 1830 Lakeside Dr.
Franklin, N.C. 28734
Phone: (828) 349-2081 for Franklin or Highlands; (828) 321-5961 for Nantahala
Email: jbruckner@maconnc.org
Crime and Law Enforcement
Crime Rate Per 100,000 (2011): 2,550.8
Violent Crime Rate: 100.1
Property Crime Rate: 2,450.7
Number of registered sex offenders: 57
Source: N.C. Department of Justice
*Listings are for entities headquartered in the county and do not include satellites, branches or other service information for others with operations in the county.
Contributor Clay Hurand supplied additional research to this report.
This page will be regularly updated. Contact us submission@carolinapublicpress.org with updates or questions.
